Wallabicoris cassisi, Schuh & P. Pedraza, 2010

Schuh, R. T. & P. Pedraza, 2010, Wallabicoris, New Genus (Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Phylini) From Australia, With The Description Of 37 New Species And An Analysis Of Host Associations, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (338), pp. 1-118 : 23-24

Wallabicoris cassisi , new species Figure 2; map 1; plate 1

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the chalkwhite coloration of the body and appendages (pl. 1), the moderate size, with a mean total length of 4.45, the head distinctly projecting beyond the anterior margin of the eyes, ratio head width/head length 2.99, and the structure of the male genitalia, the apical portion of the endosoma erect, the secondary strap of the endosoma complete and with a short submedial twist and the left paramere relatively short, without a shoulder on the posterior process, open over most of the dorsal surface (fig. 2), and only weakly exceeding the margin of the pygophore in repose. Breeds on Dicrastylis sp. , Lachnostachys sp. , and Newcastelia sp. (Lamiaceae) . Smaller than the similarly colored Lamiaceae-feeding W. newcastelii and W. prostantheri and the Thymelaeaceae-feeding W. pinocchii ; larger that the Lamiaceae-feeding W. lachnostachyos and W. paradicrastyli . Smaller than all of the chalk-white Asteraceae-feeding species. Potentially confused with W. rutidosi , but that species slightly larger, mean total length 4.87, and with a broken secondary endosomal strap.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Body weakly elongate, weakly ovoid, total length 4.25–4.65, ratio l/w 5 3.02. COLORATION (pl. 1): Pronotum unicolorous pale; hemelytron unicolorous pale; membrane unicolorous pale, extreme base unicolorous with remain- der, veins white; venter unicolorous pale or mostly so; antennal segment 1 unicolorous pale; antennal segment 1 with one or two black medial setae; antennal segment 2 unicolorous pale; labium pale with segment 4 heavily infuscate; hind femora with a few brown or black spots; hind tibial spines

(AMNH_PBI 00090286).

dark with very small dark bases. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum with black setae intermixed with pale setae on hemleytron, and with some sericeous or woolly setae. STRUCTURE: Head: Moderately projecting, ratio wh/lh 5 2.99; antennal fossa with ventral margin of fossa at ventral margin of eye; interocular space relatively small, ratio iod/wh 5 0.50; eyes leaving gena broadly exposed in lateral view (hg5– 14/he20); labium very long, reaching well onto pygophore. GENITALIA (fig. 2): Endosoma: Base short, with an open U-shaped bend; distal half of shaft smoothly curving; primary endosomal strap short apically, ratio lae/lsg 1.40; apex of primary endosomal strap nearly straight; secondary endosomal strap very slender, of uniform width from endosomal bend to gonopore, reaching to level of secondary gonopore, with a short submedial undulation; secondary gonopore seen laterally in lateral view of endosoma. Phallotheca: More or less right angulate, dorsal surface without a hump; dorsal surface without a conspicuous keel. Left Paramere: Body elongate, somewhat exceeding pygophore margin; in dorsal perspective open over nearly entire length; body tapered toward apex in lateral perspective; anterior process arising slightly forward of posterior margin of shaft; anterior process angled posterodorsally; posterior process appearing tubular, fingerlike; posterior process with strongly projecting shoulder at base; base of posterior process at about level of paramere body or very weakly elevated. Right Paramere: Body moderately elongate, ratio lrp/ wrp 3.71; body tapered from base to apex; posterior margin with a distinct protuberance subapically; body elevated at juncture with base; apex with short fingerlike process.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for Gerasimos Cassis in recognition of his efforts in the field and the contributions he has made to our knowledge of Wallabicoris .

HOSTS: Recorded from Newcastelia insignis E. Pritz. , Lachnostachys coolgardiensis S. Moore (pl. 9A), and Dicrastylis fulva forma fulva Harv. (pl. 8D), all from the Chloanthaceae section of the Lamiaceae .

DISTRIBUTION (map 1): Known from the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

DISCUSSION: The known distribution of W. cassisi corresponds closely with the distributions of its known hosts in the Goldfields-Kalbarri region of Western Australia. We have found it impossible to distinquish between the females of W. cassisi and W. newcastelii from certain collecting events and have therefore not treated these specimens as paratypes.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 28 km S of Menzies, 29.92835 ° S 121.1231 ° E, 600 m, 24 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Newcastelia insignis E. Pritz. (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff, 13 (AMNH_ PBI 00133136) ( WAMP).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 24 km W of Sandstone, 28.01426 ° S 119.0474 ° E, 650 m, 26 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Lachnostachys coolgardiensis S. Moore (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05095174, 13 (00181909) ( UNSW). 28 km S of Menzies, 29.92835 ° S 121.1231 ° E, 600 m, 24 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Newcastelia insignis E. Pritz. (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff, 133 (00090282– 00090294) ( AM), 353 (00133108–00133135, 00133137–00133138,, 00133140–00133143, 00133145–00133146) ( AMNH), 93 (00090295– 00090302, 00133139) ( WAMP). 79 km W of Sandstone, 28.03737 ° S 118.4983 ° E, 650 m, 26 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, 13 (00090908) ( AM). Kalbarri National Park, Z-Bend Road, 27.64166 ° S 114.4569 ° E, 450 m, 28 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Dicrastylis fulva forma fulva Harv. (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05120500, 13 (00090076) ( AM), 13 (00135875) ( AMNH).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: AUSTRA- LIA: Western Australia: 28 km S of Menzies, 29.92835 ° S 121.1231 ° E, 600 m, 24 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Newcastelia insignis E. Pritz. (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff, 7♀ (00133182–00133188) (AM), 28♀ (00133152– 00133177, 00133189, 00133196) (AMNH), 4♀ (00133178–00133181) (UNSW), 6♀ (00133190–00133195) (WAMP). Kalbarri National Park, Z-Bend Road, 27.64166 ° S 114.4569 ° E, 450 m, 28 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Dicrastylis fulva forma fulva Harv. (Chloanthaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05120500, 33 (00090073–00090074, 00090077) (UNSW).